Beaches and Boardwalks: An America Romance
by Shelley Martin
Summary: Beaches and Boardwalks; An America Romance When your friends fail to meet you at the beach, America saves you from the two losers hitting on you. But after a day of crazy bad luck, will he be able to forgive you after ruining his perfect day in the sun? (One Shot)


Beaches and Boardwalks: An America Romance

By Shelley Martin

"Come on, baby, you know you want one." The drunk, overbearing guy swung two beers in front of my face.

His friend appeared on my other side, pinning me against the Food Hut's wall. His eyes slid up and down my form, making my skin crawl. "You're so hot that I know you need to cool down."

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "You're pick-up lines suck, and for the last time, leave me alone. I've already told you I'm not interested." Once again my eyes darted around their shoulders, searching for my absent friends. _Where are they?_

"Excuse me? Do you need a hero?" A tall, glasses-wearing, blond guy asked from behind them.

The jerk with the beers swung his arm around my shoulders and pulled me against his sweaty side. "Stay out of this, four-eyes. She's ours."

I winced and tried to push him away. "I said leave me _alone_."

The blond fella took a step forward. "It doesn't seem like she's all that interested. Maybe sleazy drunks aren't her style? I suggest you go find someone else."

"Yes," I said quickly, but he shoved me back against the wall, hard. I let out a little yelp as my skin scraped against the rough surface. His friend grabbed my arm in a bruising grasp, holding me in place.

As the beer toting drunk advanced on my would-be hero, he chuckled. "I'm gonna enjoy pounding your face into the sand, loser."

"I wouldn't suggest getting much closer, bro." The nice guy held his ground. "It might be hazardous to your health."

"Hah. Let's put that to the test."

The good-guy shrugged helplessly. "If you say so..." He looked to his right and down. "They're all yours, Tony."

My brow drew together as my eyes fell on a little grey creature decked out in swim shorts. _Is that a child cosplaying as an alien?_

The guy with the alien looked straight at me. "You might want to close your eyes, pretty lady. This might get a little messy."

I questioned what he and a child cosplayer could do, but his overwhelming confidence told me not to underestimate him. Then the little grey man moved closer.

I closed my eyes.

Screams filled with expletives rang out one moment, then silence fell the next.

"Dude that was brutal. You can open your eyes now."

I peeked out to see the two men and the alien had completely vanished. My rescuer stood, with his hand out. "My name is Alfred F. Jones. It's nice to meet you."

I slowly held my hand out, and his huge grasp swallowed mine. Between his goofy smile and his cheeseburger swim shorts, I couldn't fathom him being anything but innocent. Who would have known he has such a dangerous side? "Thank you. You _are_ my hero. Those guys just wouldn't listen no matter what I said."

His smile widened. "I aim to please. Just consider me your personal savior for the day!"

I smiled and looked around.

Alfred followed my gaze. "Are you looking for someone? A boyfriend, maybe?"

I laughed. "Me, a boyfriend? No, I'm waiting for my friends. But they're very late, so I've been sitting here by myself. I think that's why those guys decided to pick on me…"

His eyes widened. "Well, why don't you hang out with your hero until your friends arrive? Tony will be gone for a while, so I'm alone, too."

How could I say no? "Sure. But I was going to get in line for some lunch. Do you want anything? My treat, for saving me."

"I can't accept payment for saving you. That kinda takes away from the whole hero thing." We walked around to the front and got in line. "But I will get my own cheeseburger."

After we ordered, the waitress told us she would bring us our food. We wandered down the boardwalk, and Alfred won me a giant teddy bear with one throw of a baseball at three milk jugs.

"So, you're pretty impressive with a baseball, huh?" I said, as we made our way down to the beach.

"Of course! It's an All-American classic sport!"

I chuckled as I pressed my cheek into my giant fuzzy bear. "Should I just call you _Mr. America_, then?"

He flashed a smile and gave a big thumbs up. "You got it."

Just then my foot came down, but only air met my heel. _Where did the ground go?_ I thought, as I tipped into a giant hole on the beach.

"Whoa! I got you!" Alfred grabbed me by the wrist, pulling me from the edge easily.

In my unbalance, I fell against his chest, gripping his broad muscular shoulders to steady myself. As I panted from the scare, I breathed him in. His ocean-breeze scent mixed with citrus made me suddenly want to lick him like a popsicle. Instead, I jumped back, heat rising in my cheeks at my sudden reaction to him.

His finger grazed my chin in a playful manner. "You okay, dudette?"

"Um, yeah. Except I feel like a klutz." I glanced over my shoulder and took in the huge hole. "What idiot would dig a hole in the middle of the beach?"

"This idiot." He pointed to himself. "Tony was going to bury me in the sand." He motioned to the umbrella and two towels on the other side of us.

I smacked myself in the forehead. _Great, I just insulted the man who's saved me twice today. _"Guess you should bury me in the sand for that comment, huh?"

"I would," he smiled widely. "But, I don't know what your friends look like. And if you're down there you won't be able to keep an eye out for them."

"Oh, yeah…"

He grabbed a shovel and pail from beside the towels. "Instead, I challenge you to bury me in less than fifteen minutes. Do you accept this mission?"

"Yes, sir!" I gave him a salute, and he lowered himself into the hole. As I started shoveling the sand over his muscular legs and torso, my inner voice ranted— _But I don't want to cover up all that goodness!_

"Too slow," he chided. "Come on, give me your best doggy dig."

My brows rose. "Oh, you asked for it!" I turned my tail around and flung sand at him from between my legs. When he started sputtering from my poor aim, I turned back around to see him spitting sand. "Told ya!"

"Yeah? How about your bulldozer? Any good?"

I got on my hands and knees and pushed the sand in a bulldozer-like way as he provided the sound effects.

"Now try the foot push!" He challenged.

I plopped down and started pushing sand in with my feet. We went on this way until he was neck- deep. Just as I was patting down my final touches, the waitress arrived.

"One cheeseburger basket and one fish and chips for Mr. America." She handed them to me, and I thought Alfred might jump out of his prison.

"Oh? You hungry?" I set the food down and picked up the cheeseburger. Holding it in both hands I waved it over his head.

"Yes! I'm starving. I always have room for burgers and fries!" Just as he fought to get out of the sand, a huge dollop of ketchup dripped in his hair and over his glasses.

I quickly put the burger back in the basket with its fries. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!"

He only smiled as he pulled himself out of the hole. "It's okay, pretty lady. That just means it's time for a dip in the ocean!" He went to grab the cheeseburger for a quick bite, but frowned at his sand coated hands.

"Want me to help?" I smiled as I held the sandwich up for him. The drop of ketchup on his glasses slid onto his cheek, and I held back a giggle.

He propped his glasses up on his head with a wink. "Thanks!" He held his hand against mine, and brought the food to his mouth. "Mmm." He ate as if he'd been deprived of food his whole life.

He took another bite, this time his lips brushed my thumb. In an instant, all the hairs on my arm stood up, despite the heat. I'd never fed anyone before, and Alfred seemed incredibly desirable as I watched him. His lips graced each of my fingers with their hungry touch, causing my breath to pick up. Too quickly, he finished the last bite and exposed a splotch of ketchup and mustard on my palm.

"Looks like my hand and your head match." I tugged at my hand, trying to avoid his gaze until my cheeks stopped burning. "Come on. Let's go wash up in the water."

But he held my hand fast. With a devious glint to his eye, he leaned forward. "But I always lick the wrapper…"

Before I had a chance to realize _I_ was the wrapper, his tongue darted across my palm. My toes curled as his warm breath washed over my fingers. The long, slow lick from his mouth made every bone in my body turn to jelly.

And I loved it.

His eyes locked onto mine just as he finished the sweet torture, and he smiled. Whatever he saw in my eyes he must have liked, because the next moment he swung me up in his arms and ran for the surf. I squealed as he dove, taking me under with him. As we surfaced, he dipped his head again, scrubbing his ketchup laden hair.

"Did I get it all?"

"Nope," I giggled as I pointed to the patch of red.

Alfred's eyes looked up as he scrubbed. "I can't see where. Can you help me?"

"Sure." I stepped forward, rising and falling with the waves. He ducked again, and I hesitantly ran my fingers though his sandy locks. _He has such amazing hair…_ But when I saw it had come clean, I released him and he resurfaced. "There all clean." As I stared at his wide smile, I realized something wasn't quite right. Then it hit me… "Um, Alfred. Where are your glasses?"

He blinked twice and patted the top of his head. "Oh, no. I'm as blind as a bat without them." He began looking around wildly. "Can you help me find them?"

"Yes, of course!" I glanced into the water and turned around, searching. A sudden pain stabbed the bottom of my foot as I felt two arms wrap around my toes. "Oh, ow, ow! Alfred, something's got me. I think it's a crab. Jeeze it hurts!" I lifted my foot, but he quickly stopped me.

"If you do anything to aggravate a crab, it will only pinch you harder. Just stay still, and I'll get it off of you. Okay?" He put his hands on my shoulders and made eye contact.

Biting my lip from the searing pain, I nodded.

Alfred dove under, and I could feel his gentle touch along my calf. He carefully brought my foot up and removed the arms from around my toes. But the pain remained.

His head popped up, and he flashed me a worried smile. "Do you want the good news or the bad?"

"Good," I said, wincing.

"Okay. It's not a crab." He lifted his hand from the surf, holding a bent and broken pair of eyewear. "And you found my glasses. But a piece of glass is stuck in your foot."

I gulped. "Is it a big piece of glass? Do you think I'll need stitches?"

"No, it's pretty small. So, here's what we're going to do. My house isn't far from here. It's right on the beach. I'm going to take you there, remove the glass, and get you all wrapped up."

I didn't really want to drive with a shard of glass in my foot, and Alfred seemed like he really did just want to help. "Okay…"

He nodded and lifted me as if I were a feather. With my hands locked around his neck, he carried me up the beach to a quiet little cove. Houses dotted the shore, and he turned toward the steps of the grandest one of them all.

"This isn't your place, is it?" I gaped at the classic exterior.

"Sure is." He let himself in, and lay me on the plush forest-green couch. "Wait here. I'll be right back with the first aid kit."

I nodded and propped my foot up with one of his fancy throw pillows. But beside me on the table I noticed his phone. "Um, Alfred, is it okay if I call my friends and tell them I'm not on the beach right now?"

"Sure," he answered from upstairs.

I dialed and waited until the line picked up. "Hey, it's me. Where are you guys? I've been waiting for you for hours."

"You didn't get the message? We decided to change beaches. There's a men's volleyball tournament at the south end. You should get over here and scope out the hotties!"

The cheering in the background roared over her last few words. "Actually, you guys have fun. I've got my own."

"You what? Spill!"

I sighed and glanced around. Alfred hadn't come back down, yet. "These two guys wouldn't leave me alone and Alfred saved me from them. Then he caught me before I fell in a hole, and now I have a piece of glass in my foot. I'm at his house, and he's gonna bandage me up. He's totally my hero."

She didn't respond at first. "Dude, sounds to me like you're a walking train wreck today. If you can pull a date out of that mess, then kudos to you. Let me know what happens!" And she hung up.

My heart sank. What if she was right? Didn't men these days like strong women who didn't attract sleazy men, deep holes and blades of glass like a magnet? The day was only half over. What could happen next?

"Watch me catch his house on fire…" I mumbled.

"What was that?" Alfred appeared next to me, wearing a smile and dry clothes. I gasped when I realized I was making a water stain on his gorgeous furniture.

"Oh my gosh, I'm dripping all over your couch!" I sat up and hopped to one foot. "My friend was right, I'm a train wreck today!"

"Whoa." He set the medical supplies down and placed a hand on either shoulder of mine. "Calm down. It's no biggie." He gently nudged me back onto the couch, handing me a towel to wrap around myself. "There. Better?"

I sniffled, biting back the tears. "You've done nothing but be the most amazing guy, and I just keep screwing up. I'm so sorry if I've ruined your day."

He sat at the other end of the couch, propping my leg on his lap. "I need you to do me a favor. Can you spell Giraffe for me?"

I blinked. "What?"

He smiled at me. "Spell Giraffe."

"Um, G, I, R—"

"Got it!" Alfred held up a set of tweezers with a piece of glass between them.

I breathed deep. "That was amazing. I didn't feel a thing."

He winked. "Who's your hero?"

I flashed a little smile. "You are."

He dropped the glass and tweezers in a bowl and disinfected the cut. "And does it look like I _dislike_ being a hero?"

Shrugging, I laid back as he held a piece of gauze to my foot. "I guess not."

"That's right!" He then stuck a large Band-Aid over the injury and wrapped my whole foot with a stretchy material. "You've made me your personal hero three times today. I can't get over how perfect you are for me."

"What?" My eyes widened.

"I live to be the hero, and you just naturally need saving."

"Yeah," I said dryly. "I'm the perpetual damsel in distress."

"And you're beautiful, and silly and brave. You really stood up to those creeps on the beach, and you didn't panic when you thought a crab had ahold of you. You're amazing!"

"Really? You think so?" I stared at him, apprehensive. _Was he messing with me?_

His brows rose. "You still have a frown. What, you don't believe me?"

I shrugged. And that's when he attacked me. His fingers tickled my sides as I giggled and tried to squirm away.

"I won't stop until you agree I'm right. You are amazing." His hands went to my armpits, my knees and my sides again. The man really knew how to tickle someone!

When I could no longer breathe, I admitted defeat. "Okay! Okay! You're right!"

His body shifted to straddle my hips. "I'm right about _what_?"

His weight, and warmth, and hands made me _want _to surrender to him. I didn't want him to stop.

But, I needed to breathe.

"I'm amazing." I heaved, laughing so hard my sides hurt.

He paused then, a huge smile lighting up his face. "There. That's much better. I like my girls to be happy. Don't doubt yourself."

"You're _girls_?" I cocked my head. "How many girls do you have, Mr. America?"

His body still hovered over mine, his arms caging me in. But those muscular shoulders shrugged, and he motioned for me to lean closer.

I lifted my head until he dipped his mouth near my ear. He whispered "I don't have any girls. No body fits the quota. Except you."

Cheeks burning, I turned my head to gaze into his sky-blue eyes. They said he was telling the truth. So did his kiss, as he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine.

**If you like this fan fiction, don't forget to check out my other stories! Or you can find my published works at **


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